Evacuation Plan

When disaster threatens, listen to local radio and television reports. The University will utilize the Emergency Notification System in conjunction with the Department of Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness protocols and procedures to when localized or regional evacuations are required. Local government officials, not the Red Cross, issue evacuation orders. If local officials ask you to leave, do so immediately!

IF THE BUILDING YOU ARE IN, YOUR WORK AREA, STUDY AREA OR HOUSING UNIT IS BEING EVACUATED - REASSEMBLE AT THE PRE-DETERMINED REASSEMBLE AREA AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS.

IF YOU HAVE ONLY MOMENTS BEFORE LEAVING, GRAB THESE THINGS AND GO:

STAFF:

Only take these things if you are at your work station. DO NOT go back to your desk or office to get them if you are somewhere else in the building. If an evacuation is underway you should leave as quickly as possible by way of the closest and safest route (see FIRES).

Keys

Purse/Wallet/Identification

Coat, if appropriate

Roster of staff, students if appropriate

STUDENTS

Only take these things if you are in your room or apartment. DO NOT go back to your room or apartment to get them if you are somewhere else in the building. If an evacuation is underway you should leave as quickly as possible by way of the closest and safest route (see FIRES).

Keys

Purse/Wallet/Identification

Coat, if appropriate

EVACUATION OF BUILDING FOR OTHER REASONS, I.E. POWER OUTAGE, GAS LEAKS, ETC.

Car keys and keys to the place you may be going (friend's or relative's home)

Important papers

Evacuating from University buildings, residence halls and offices:

Fully cooperate with Public Safety officers or other first-responders.

Evacuate in groups to ensure everyone is able to get out.

Provide assistance for those with physical disabilities.

Evacuate in a safe, orderly manner.

Close, but do not lock, doors.

Do not use elevators.

Evacuating from your home:

Prepare ahead of time so that you'll be ready to evacuate at a moment's notice!

Gather essential supplies and papers. You will need the following supplies when you leave your home; put them in a duffle bag or other large container in advance:

Flashlight with plenty of extra batteries

Battery-powered radio with extra batteries

First aid kit

Prescription medications in their original bottle, plus copies of the prescriptions

Eyeglasses (with a copy of the prescription)

Water (at least one gallon per person is recommended; more is better)

Foods that do not require refrigeration or cooking

Items that infants and elderly household members may require

Medical equipment and devices, such as dentures, crutches, prostheses, etc.

Change of clothes for each household member

Sleeping bag or bedroll and pillow for each household member

Checkbook, cash, and credit cards

Map of the area

Important papers to take with you:

Driver's license or personal identification

Social Security card

Proof of residence (deed or lease)

Insurance policies

Birth and marriage certificates

Stocks, bonds, and other negotiable certificates

Wills, deeds, and copies of recent tax returns

Make a visual or written record of all of your household possessions. Record the make, model number and serial number. This list could help you prove the value of what you owned if those possessions are damaged or destroyed, and can assist you to claim deductions on taxes. Do this for all items in your home, including expensive items such as sofas, chairs, tables, beds, chests, wall units, and any other furniture too heavy to move. Store a copy of the record somewhere away from home, such as in a safe deposit box.

Turn off electricity and water. Turn off electricity at the main fuse or breaker, and turn off water at the main valve.

Leave natural gas on. Unless local officials advise otherwise, leave natural gas on because you will need it for heating and cooking when you return home. If you turn gas off, a licensed professional is required to turn it back on, and it may take weeks.

Turn off propane gas. Propane tanks often become dislodged in disasters.

If you are being evacuated due to flooding: Move objects that may get damaged by water to safer areas of your home. Move televisions, computers, stereo and electronic equipment, and easily moveable appliances like a microwave oven to higher levels of your home and away from windows. Wrap them in sheets or blankets. Consider storing your household furnishings temporarily elsewhere.

If flooding is expected, consider using sandbags to keep water away from your home. It takes two people about one hour to fill and place 100 sandbags, giving you a wall one foot high and 20 feet long. Make sure you have enough sand, burlap or plastic bags, shovels, strong helpers, and time to place the sandbags properly.